EAST and SOUTH CHINA

SEA
TERRITORIAL DISPUTE

E
By:
Eric Canton
Joey Zhang
Nikki Andrea Bombales
Jimson Yap
June 15, 2014


SUMMARY :
China Japa
n
Taiwan Phil
s
Brunei Vietnam Malaysia
Spratly --------
-
---------- ------
-
----------- ----------- -------------
Paracel -------- ---------- -----------
Diaoyu/
Senkaku
-------- ------- -------



Negotiation Analysis


Types of Negotiator


Peoples Republic of China

Chinas policy isnt to negotiate on the issue of sovereignty, but rather to
maintain its stance that
(a) sovereignty belongs to China
(b) the claimants should shelve the sovereignty disputes
(c) the claimants should jointly develop the resources with China.
Therefore, by negotiation, China only means negotiation on temporary
arrangements, not negotiation on the issue of sovereignty

Peoples Republic of China

Chinas approach of bilateral negotiations
isnt aimed at actually resolving the
sovereignty disputes.
From the point of view of strategy, the
absence of a settlement gives China, as the
claimant with overwhelming hard and soft
power, increasing opportunities to strengthen
its controls and weaken those of the others.
Peoples Republic of China

In sum, China uses 3 major strategies:
1. Maximizing the contested area
2. Temporarily maintaining the condition of a sovereignty
dispute while consolidating effective control, and
3. Drawing on divide and conquer,
Effect: The Southeast Asian claimants, being the weaker parties
to the disputes, seem to be adopting the opposite approach:
Minimizing the contested area
Peoples Republic of China

2012:Competitor
2013:Competitor
2014: Competitor
JAPAN

March 2012
naming 39 uninhabited islands
China responded with naming 70 islands
Taiwan objects to Japans naming of 4 islands
September 2013
Purchased 3 of 8 islands from a Japanese Private Owner
June 2014
Trade insults with China

JAPAN


2012:Competitor
2013:Competitor
2014:Competitor

TAIWAN

March 2012
Re-asserted Taiwans sovereignty over Taiping
2013
Do Nothing
May 2014
From Claimant to Peace Maker
Suggested that the claimants may set aside sovereignty disputes and share
economic resources

TAIWAN

2012 :Competitor
2013 :Avoider
2014 :Sharer / Collaborator

PHILIPPINES

2012
Philippines naval ship rams Chinese Fishing Boat in one of the Disputed Islands
2013
In its attempt to minimize the contested area, it appealed to International Law regarding
maritime delimitation, including the principles codified in the UNCLOS.
After China rejected adjudication, the Philippines declared that it would still take the case to
the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea
2014
It filed a protest reclaiming land on a disputed South China Sea reef, the fourth in three
months
PHILIPPINES

2012:Competitor
2013:Competitor
2014:Collaborator/Problem Solver
BRUNEI

Nothing in the News
Did nothing from 2012-2013
BRUNEI
2012:Avoider
2013:Avoider
2014:Avoider
VIETNAM

2012-2013 Did nothing
2014
Collision between Chinese and Vietnamese
naval ships and vessels, ASEAN however
pushed for a peaceful resolution
Vietnam is considering of taking the same action
as what Philippines did (ITLOS) against China
Vietnam
2012:Avoider
2013:Avoider
2014:Avoider
MALAYSIA

2012
Agreement to set up a preliminary guideline on smaller issues
together other parties (except Taiwan and Japan)
2013
Naval exercises around the James Shoal
2014
Continues to occupy some (5) regions in the disputed region

Malaysia
2012:Collaborator
2013:Collaborator
2014:Collaborator